Patna: A high-level review meeting on investment reforms and ease-of-doing-business initiatives was held on Friday at the Main Secretariat in Patna, jointly chaired by Cabinet Secretariat Special Secretary to the Government of India K K Pathak and Bihar Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit.
The meeting focused on the implementation of ‘Deregulation 1.0 and 2.0’ initiatives aimed at reducing compliance burdens, repealing outdated regulations and improving the investment climate in Bihar.
Focus On Reducing Compliance Burden
Officials reviewed reforms related to business approvals, urban planning regulations and administrative simplification.
The Special Secretary directed all departments to identify and eliminate unnecessary rules, returns and registers that create obstacles for businesses and investors.
“Every unnecessary rule acts as an impediment to investment,” officials quoted during the meeting.
Departments were instructed to complete all pending tasks under the Deregulation 2.0 initiative and upload compliance updates to the designated portal within 15 working days.
Push For Single Window And Self-Certification
Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit directed departments to strictly implement single-window clearance systems and self-certification mechanisms in order to minimise human intervention in approval processes.
Officials said the reforms are intended to simplify business procedures and accelerate investment proposals within the state.
The meeting also discussed replacing punitive provisions such as imprisonment for minor technical violations under business laws with monetary penalties.
Urban Planning And Building Reforms Reviewed
Detailed discussions were held regarding the incorporation of sustainability standards under the National Building Code for Sustainability (NBCS) 2026 into Bihar’s building bye-laws.
Officials also reviewed proposals to rationalise Floor Area Ratio (FAR) regulations and adopt a Total Facility Management (TFM) model for efficient management of government assets.
The state government said these measures were aimed at modernising urban infrastructure planning while ensuring safety and sustainability standards.
Weekly Monitoring Ordered
The Cabinet Secretariat Department was designated as the coordinating agency for reforms involving multiple departments to prevent delays in file movement and approvals.
All departmental nodal officers were instructed to submit weekly progress reports every Friday for direct review by the Chief Secretary’s office.
The Special Secretary expressed satisfaction with Bihar’s progress so far and assured support from the Centre in aligning the state’s reforms with national standards.
Senior officials from the Finance, Industries, Urban Development and Building Construction departments attended the meeting alongside other administrative officials.
